Speaking - a critical skill

If you’ve ever managed people or tried to get a group of people to do something in business you’ll know how frustrating it can be when you don’t quiet get the results you wanted.

So who’s fault is that? Many  would look towards their people and make the assumption that “they didn’t listen” or perhaps “they just don’t get it”.

How interesting that we look to the capacity of others to understand the message we deliver but seldom question our own ability or effectiveness in conveying the message.

As a leader in business your job is to motivate, inspire and lead your people to execute your plan. It’s fair to say then that your speaking skills are critical to this process, after all if you can’t get them to listen, how can you expect them to follow through with actions?

Whether you’re speaking to your staff or your prospective customers, it’s your ability to capture their attention and imagination with your message that  is going to define your results. So really when you look at it in the cold light of day, the responsibility sits firmly with you.

It’s not that people don’t want to listen, it’s just that your message has to find it’s way through all their other distractions. It doesn’t matter if you’re speaking to one or many, whether it is a sales or conference call, a team meeting or a sales presentation; the truth is you have short window of opportunity to captivate the listener, create the desired impact and inspire them to take action. In a world where people are bombarded with more and more information, that window of opportunity is shrinking fast.

Refining, developing and learning speaking skills is a must, otherwise you’re just wasting time in front of an audience that’s not listening. Sure, they maybe there in body but are they off on a mental trip across the globe while you’re trying to share important information?

Communication experts across the world agree that it’s the speaker that makes the difference when it comes to engaging the audience. Don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s personality, charm or charisma that makes that difference either. The most charismatic of leaders can have their message fall on deaf ears. No, it’s to do with your presence, integrity and ability to connect with others that is the defining factor.

We’ve all been in presentations where your eyes glaze over or you start looking at your watch wondering when the break is. Is that the kind of impact you want to have on your audience?

So here are some tips to perk up your presentations.

• Make a point and tell a story – This phrase transformed by presentations. When you are trying to get into people’s mind the last they want is a bunch of numbers, statements and boring data. You have to bring what you are saying to life, make it interesting and make them take notice. Yes the data and information is important but in order to make it real share a story or personal experience that illustrates the point.

• Keep distractions to a minimum – In the business world we have become accustomed to using powerpoint slides and flip charts, but many of the speakers I come across end up using them as a prompt or worse still read from them word for word! If you are going to use props like powerpoint be careful to ensure that they don’t become the focal point. You are the messenger not the slides!

• People will forget 90% of what you say – If you think that everyone in the audience is hanging on your every word then you are sadly mistaken. Yes you may be passionate about your topic but they’re not. Your focus instead should be on stirring up emotions. Think about the best speeches you’ve ever heard, do you remember everything or a specific message because of the way it made you feel?

• Slow Down – One of the biggest mistakes in delivering a message is speaking or moving too fast. SLOW down…take a breath and pace yourself. The speed at which you speak is probably faster than you think and what you hear inside your head is probably much faster than what they hear!

• Say it, don’t read it. – The best messages are delivered when it doesn’t feel like a speech. It’s a conversation and should come across that way. If you write a speech out do so using the words you would use normally (obviously there are exceptions!) and not elaborate phrases. You should sound natural and not robotic or over rehearsed.

So, act now. Make the decision to upgrade one of the most important skills that you can posses in business. It make sense to invest in a skill which is universal and easily transferred no matter where your career path or business will take you.

As a business owner, leader, entrepreneur, consultant or coach speaking in public is one the most critical skills you should develop in order to bring you success.

Speaking in business means speaking at meetings, in interviews, with potential clients, colleagues, and customers. In today’s hi-tech world of video casting technology and the popularity of social media it now also includes video blogging, podcasting, teleconferencing, and making corporate videos or appearing in the national media.

Simply public speaking is anytime you need to deliver message and influence an audience through the spoken word.

It’s art that when mastered will improve your career prospects and your business results. Employers consistently rank speaking and communication skill as one of the key skills they look for. In fact both undergraduate and graduate Business school alumni who attended the University of Minnesota placed oral communication at the top of a list of skills that were relevant to overall job success

Being an effective leader requires the ability to communicate and inspire. Public speaking skills are a essential part of being able to communicate effectively. When you think about it, most problems in business are down to poor communication. Increasing your ability to get your message across means you will reduce the problems you experience and save valuable time in the long run.

You will increase your capability to express your ideas, influence your colleagues to explore options, work collaboratively with greater confidence.

There is also evidence that shows that people who good at speaking in public have higher levels of confidence and self esteem. If you can engage your audience with your message and do it with impact, integrity and credibility you will have a formula which all but guarantees you success.

Like all skills you learn the abilities you develop as a speaker will spill over in to other areas and bring about benefits in other areas of your life.

In short, speaking in public is a critical skill for anyone who is serious about their business or career.